Türkiye to Strengthen Naval Power with New Submarines and Defense Projects
Istanbul, The Gulf Observer: Türkiye is poised to significantly enhance its naval capabilities with the introduction of new submarines, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Saturday. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Akyaz Shipyard Command and naval platform delivery, Erdogan highlighted the country’s ambitious plans to bolster its armed forces.
“We hope to achieve our goal of building our own submarine, which has been our dream for about 138 years, with our MILDEN Project,” Erdogan stated. The MILDEN Project, Türkiye’s national submarine initiative, aims to develop and produce naval vehicles with domestic capabilities tailored to the needs of the Turkish Naval Forces Command.
Erdogan revealed that the HIZIRREIS submarine is expected to enter service in 2025, followed by the MURATREIS submarine in 2026. “We will add strength to our navy by putting all our submarines in the project into service by 2029,” he added.
The president underscored the importance of a robust and effective navy, emphasizing that a strong naval presence is essential for maintaining peace both within Türkiye’s “Blue Homeland” and in distant regions. “We understand that to live in peace on our land, we must have a strong and effective navy,” Erdogan said.
In addition to the submarine project, Erdogan reiterated Türkiye’s commitment to strengthening its armed forces across all domains. He mentioned that Türkiye’s rights and interests in overseas spheres of influence will be safeguarded with advanced domestic and national aircraft, including the HURJET, KIZILELMA, TB3, and ANKA3, which will be mounted on the National Aircraft Carrier.
Moreover, Türkiye plans to bolster its air defense capabilities at sea with the construction of the TF-2000 Air Defense Warfare Destroyer, which will begin at the Istanbul Shipyard. Erdogan also assured that the TCG Anadolu and the National Aircraft Carrier will be protected against potential airborne threats.
These developments mark a significant step in Türkiye’s ongoing efforts to enhance its military prowess and secure its national interests both at home and abroad.
